Unforeseen
by spottedhorse
Summary: My warped take on One to Go...or what might have happened after. If you only read cannon, then this is a pass. Oneshot.


Okay, so he did go running back to Sara. Anyone who reads my stuff knows I'm not a GSR shipper, so obviously I wasn't too excited to see how TPTB ended the Grissom era. Of course, I wasn't really too happy to see him leave anyway, so in my view the whole thing just sucked. A lot of what I read on these pages has Grissom with the stamina of a twenty something instead of reflecting the reality of him being a fifty something. I thought I'd have a little fun with what reality might be like for him in the jungle. This began with PureJoy in mind, but at some point the story starting writing itself and so it has a different ending; one that I'm sure will irritate just about everybody. Sorry.

Oh, and I keep forgetting all the disclaimers: If I had any say in any of CSI Grissom would not be with Sara; so I guess that means I don't own it...I just take the characters out and play with them sometimes.

AFUTUREWITHOUTGRISSOMISAFUTUREWITHOUTLIGHT!

He wobbled along the path, spying insects he hadn't seen in years or not at all, except in books. He felt energy returning, energy he hadn't felt in a long time. Checking his GPS, he was relieved. He didn't know how much more his knees could take. He hadn't counted on the toll the rough terrain would take on his legs, his knees in particular, weakened by too many years of crawling around looking for evidence. But the indicator told him that his destination was near.

Moments later, he stood at the edge of the clearing. She was there, her back to him and she was beautiful. He knew he needed to breathe, but he was afraid…afraid that when she turned and saw him, it would really be over. And then she did it, she turned. And her smile lit his heart as nothing else could. Suddenly she was moving towards him. He moved to meet her and was relieved when she didn't jump on him; the results would have been comical at best and embarrassing. His knees and legs would simply not have withstood the force. Their arms went around one another, their lips met, and he was where he wanted to be.

She showed him the camp. And then she showed him some of the research. She introduced him to the others. He was aware of it all, but his attention was on her. And that night….was bliss.

They woke the next morning to the same sultry heat that had blanketed them the day before. And Grissom woke to unbelievable pain in his knees. He grimaced as he sat up to examine the offending joints. They were as swollen as he'd ever seen them. Sara stirred next to him, her eyes opening and a smile immediately springing to life; and then a frown. As she studied his face, she became worried. He could see it in her face. She sat up and looked in the direction of his scowl. "Gil…what happened to your knees?"

"They went for a long walk," he growled.

"Oh," she replied. "Well…ice might help, except we don't have any."

"I have some meds in my backpack. Do we have water? And I should probably eat a cracker or something so that it doesn't make me sick. Honey, I'm sorry…" he felt terrible.

"I have some crackers…and I'll get some water. Be right back," she said and she dashed off. Grissom sat staring at his knees feeling humiliated. He tried to move his legs, bend the joints, and after shots of pain that sent water to his eyes, he managed to get them to change position…progress.

She returned with a plastic camp cup and a sleeve of crackers. He dug through his pack and found the right bottle, after bypassing his migraine meds and his cholesterol pills. He decided to go ahead and take his blood pressure meds too; she already knew about those.

His blood pressure had shot up last year after she left and his doctor had prescribed the meds. She'd caught him taking them on her last trip to Vegas.

Once he'd downed the pills and a few crackers, he tried to move again. Pain shot up his thighs, into his back, nearly bringing out a cry of anguish. "I…I need to get up," he told her. "Need to try to move a little…"

She helped him as he stood. Lifting himself off the cot was more difficult than off his bed. It put more pressure on his knees. Slowly he began to move around, willing his joints to work. Slowly they began to co-operate. He didn't dare look into her face. She'd never seen him this bad, but then, she hadn't been around a lot lately. His knees had deteriorated rapidly over the last year until the doctor finally made it official; he had arthritis. Arthritis, that dread disease of the joints that so often signaled the beginning of the road into geriatrics. He was getting older…soon he would be old. The thought hadn't really bothered him too much until now…this moment. But as he looked at her much younger body, her concerned eyes, he wondered how long she would see him with the same eyes as she had seen him yesterday…or last night.

"Look, we'd planned a trek into the forest today, but I can stay here…I don't think you are up to it." Her voice dripped with concern…and pity.

"No, no…you go. You're right. I'm not up to it. But you go. It'll give me a chance to settle in…and hopefully by tonight, my knees will be back to normal. You go. I want you to."

"You sure?" Her eyes revealed her doubt. "I mean…are you going to be okay alone here?"

"Go. I'll be fine. I saw some interesting insects just a little way down the trail. Maybe after awhile, I'll go see if they are still there." He smiled with a confidence he wasn't feeling. He knew his knees well enough to know that he wasn't going anywhere. Just moving around would be an accomplishment.

"Well…okay, if you are sure," she said warily.

"I'm sure," he insisted.

The group had finished breakfast and Gil had volunteered to clean up after them. Least he could do, he had insisted. They should go, get an early start.

Relief swept over him after he saw them disappear into the forest. He could finally sit down and nurse his pain for a few minutes…no need to put on a good face. He could give his agony a voice. And he wouldn't have to see her looks of pity.

He cursed as he cleaned the few dishes they'd used. He let his anger out as he shook out the bedclothes and remade their cots. But he kept trying to move…he needed to get his knees back in working order. After an hour or so of chores, he sat in one of the camp chairs and watched the monkey that Sara had been photographing the day before, when he had arrived.

They studied one another quietly until Gil dozed in the chair, giving into the weight of the heavy air. Monkey awakened him with incessant chirping. Gil looked around and determined that they were still alone. Then he looked back at the monkey. "What?' he asked.

The monkey tilted his head and stared at him. Then he began chiding Grissom. Gil smirked. "Yeah, I know…I'm too old for her. But …I've tried playing it that way. I did…" he said as the monkey seemed to glare at him. "I tried to stay away…for years. But we kept circling one another…and then it happened. We connected. And then she left. And a part of me went with her…and here I am now."

The monkey settled back on his haunches, still glaring at Gil. Then suddenly, the monkey ducked his head…licking the hairs around his knees. "Oohhh, I see," Gil smiled. "You're worried about my knees…it's a sign of how off this is. She's young…agile and I'm…not so agile anymore. Yeah, it worries me too. But we can't seem to let it go…I need her…"

The monkey tilted his head again, folded his arms, and chirped. Then he looked off to his right and jumped up, scurrying away. A few minutes later, Sara and the others appeared from the undergrowth, all smiles and laughing. They looked tired but happy.

The others broke off to various corners of the campsite, while Sara made straight for him. "You okay?" she asked.

"Sure. Did you find anything interesting?"

"I saw lots of interesting things, but nothing to help my research. Did you go find any new bugs?"

"No," he chuckled. "Actually, I hung around here…feeling lazy. After so many years of being on call, it was nice to just hang out."

She smiled as she bent over and kissed him. It wasn't a loaded kiss like yesterday, just a kiss of understanding. "Yeah, it took me a few days to get motivated after I left Vegas….adjusting to the loss of pressure."

They all took a short siesta, a necessary exercise in the heat. The rest of the afternoon was spent recording their findings and preparation for the evening meal. Gil chipped in with the food prep, trying to carry his own weight with the group. As they sat around outside the tent, eating their meal, he watched how the others reacted and interacted with Sara. Two of the guys were attracted to her. Another of them was totally smitten. The other women were friendly, but not friends. A couple of them seemed to be jealous of the attention the men gave Sara. They all eyed him with curiosity. He could feel their disbelief that Sara would be with him; after all, he was much older than any of them.

He wanted to hold her all night, but it was too hot. The combination of their body heat was just too much, so after a few minutes of cuddling, they settled into their respective cots to try to sleep.

Three days later, Gil was hit with a migraine. It was the worst he'd had in a long time. He assumed it had to do with the climate change; his body hadn't adjusted. He lay on his cot, miserable. He'd popped one of his pills, but so far, it wasn't helping. Neither was the heat…or humidity. He slept for a while but woke nauseated, just managing to make it into the tress before he lost his stomach. Stumbling back to his cot, he went back to sleep.

Sara was worried and had stayed in the camp to keep an eye on him. The others had trekked out. She'd seen him with migraines before but none was as bad as this one seemed to be. She caught up on some of her notes, taking frequent breaks to peek in on him. The monkey watched from his perch in the trees but remained quiet. It was as if he sensed Gil's need for silence.

The evening of the second day, he woke from a nap, finally free of pain. Feeling weak from lack of food, he eased out of the tent and into one of the chairs. Sara was beside him in an instant. "Better?"

He nodded slowly. "I think so. Thanks."

"Water?" she asked.

"Yeah…and do you have anymore of those crackers from the other day?"

She smiled, happy to finally be able to do something to help him.

The next day, he went out on the trek with them. They weren't having much luck, but he spied several insects that intrigued him. He collected a few specimens and photographed others. He was having fun.

After a week, he was beginning to feel like he was actually contributing something to the research effort. And he and the monkey had an understanding. They chatted frequently, the monkey appearing whenever Grissom exited the tent, and moving in closer when the scientist was alone. Sometimes The Mysterious Monk, as Gil called him, would even come close when it was just Gil and Sara. But for some reason Monk only responded to Gil. Sometimes they simply sat and stared at one another; sometimes Gil talked, sometimes Monk did the talking…or rather chattering.

Sara was amused with Gil's new relationship. "Should I be jealous?" she asked one night as they cuddled in the tent. Gil simply chuckled. He was too happy to let her teasing offend him. He was feeling more like himself than he had felt in years…since he'd taken over Jim Brass's job. His ability to laugh had returned; life was fun again, fun and exciting.

The only thing that was missing was the closeness of their previous sexual life. It was just awkward in their little tent with others so close by. Besides, after a day of heat, humidity, and trekking, neither had anything left for a roll in the hay…or on the cot, not to mention that the cots weren't very fun friendly. In reality, he was the one who usually wasn't up to the activity: Sara's energy and vitality seemed endless, just making him feel that much older. Actually, it wasn't the sex that he missed so much as the closeness. While he basked in her company, there was something missing between them. He knew she felt it too.

Adding insult to injury, his body betrayed him again. He developed a raging heat rash in the area he least wanted it, the groin. Luckily, when he had packed, he'd remembered that heat rash had been a problem for him on his last trek into the rainforest. Consequently, he'd brought a tube of ointment with which he treated it. Keeping the area clean, and more challenging, dry was proving to be a challenge. But the ointment helped and he was making progress. By the end of the second week, the rash was under control, although not totally gone.

It rained for three days the next week. The humidity rose even more making his knees swell with arthritis again. He forced himself to move around as much as possible but they had to spend most of the day in the tent or under the canopy, leaving little space for him to work his knees into co-operation. He knew Sara was worried about him. She began to hover, trying to help but only making him feel worse. The pain in his knees, the itch in his groin, and his growing lack of patience overwhelmed him and he snapped at her. Then, immediately he regretted it. The look on her face made him feel like dirt.

Relief came the next day when the rain stopped. The group trekked out but Gil's knees were still too sore, so he remained in camp. She had looked relieved when he said he wouldn't go. He knew he was. Monk showed up just after lunchtime. They had a long chat. And as it ended, Gil knew what needed to happen.

"This is your time to shine," he told her that night as they talked in the tent. "I'll only hold you back. So, I'm going back to Vegas…not to CSI, but to our home. And Hank and I will be waiting when you finish your research here. When you're ready, come home and we'll decide where we go next. I know you don't want to stay in Vegas, but it's a good place for me to wait for you."

She had cried. And then she'd told him that she didn't want him to go. "What about what you said about a relationship in stasis?"

Gil looked confused until he remembered that day in his office. She thought he'd been talking about them, and looking back, maybe he was. But things were different now. "We're not in stasis. We both know what we want and we're working to get there." She'd cried off and on through the night.

His flight back was not filled with the excitement and anticipation of his flight down to Costa Rica. But the sun felt good on his face and even better, the low humidity felt good to his knees. Hank had been overjoyed to see him when he picked up the dog from the sitter the next day. By the end of the second day back, he had the apartment back in order, clean and comfortable. On the third day, he unpacked his notes and specimens from the trip and began writing an article that he hoped one of the entomology journals would publish.

He needed general background information on the area, so he headed to the university library. His head was buried in a book on Costa Rica when he heard someone behind him. "Gil," a familiar voice asked.

He turned to greet his friend, Dr. H.P. Stickler, head of the Biology department. "Henry," Gil said.

"Working on another article?" Henry asked.

"Yes, I just returned from a trip to Costa Rica. Found some interesting insects…"

Henry chuckled. "I'd heard you left CSI. So now you're fully into research?"

"Not exactly. I went down to…to….I'd heard about a research group down there and went to spend some time with them."

"You know Gil, I'm working on a book and my publisher is looking for others who might like to help them increase their science list. I'll bet he'd be interested in something from you; maybe some entomology or forensics. Either way, I'll bet it would be beneficial for you."

"For me?" Gil asked, bewildered.

"Yeah, you have to do something now that you are no longer at CSI, don't you? Hey, would you be interested in a position here? I could only offer a guest lecturer position for this term, but there is a chair opening up next year. You'd be a perfect fit."

"I'd like to be a guest lecturer. But I can't commit to next year."

"Okay, I'll take what I can get. I'll call you next week and we'll work out a schedule."

"Thanks Henry. I need something to occupy myself with for a few months. And I enjoy teaching…"

Henry patted him on the shoulder and then walked away. Gil watched him leave and smiled. "Well Monk, I have a job…sort of. Don't tell Sara though, she'll think I'm trying to stay again. This is just temporary. As soon as she shows up, I'm unemployed again."

He thought he could hear Monk chattering at him, almost laughing.

Months passed. He was enjoying his guest lecturer status and his article from Costa Rica had been published. Slowly, he had reconnected with his friends from his previous career, even joining them for breakfast on occasion. He and Brass even rented a boat and went out fishing on Lake Meade, although there was little angling and lots of beer. He and Catherine had breakfast together at least once a week and she even sat in on one of his lectures. And Henry set him up with his publisher.

"So what kind of book are you writing?" Catherine asked one morning.

"It started out to be about forensic entomology but it has turned into a forensic murder mystery. With all the television shows about forensics and forensic investigators, the publisher says it should sell well. I'm not so sure, but I thought it would be fun to try something different. I certainly have plenty of cases to draw ideas from."

Catherine smiled at him. "You really are enjoying your retirement, aren't you?"

"I am," he beamed. "I should have done it years ago when I was young enough to make the most of it."

"Huh?" She looked surprised.

"I had a difficult time in the rainforest. It was like my body and the elements were conspiring against me. My knees hurt all the time, migraines returned, and I broke out with a rash…"

Catherine giggled. "Poor Gil…off to impress the girlfriend …oh, I'll bet that left a real impression."

Gil looked startled but then he smiled too. "Yeah, well…I was feeling about a hundred years old by the time I decided to leave. Sara seems to have gotten younger…"

"You have too. You're more like your old self…like about ten or fifteen years ago, when it was all still fun for you…"

"Yeah," he mused. "I do feel like a tremendous weight has been lifted…"

He checked each day's mail for letters from Sara but they were sporadic and infrequent. She only had access to e-mail when they went back to the research center and that was only about once a month. The e-mails had been getting shorter. Gil was beginning to worry.

In one of his letters to her, he asked about the Mysterious Monk. Sara had replied that Monk had shown up for a few days after Gil had left but then had disappeared. It saddened Gil to think that somehow he'd hurt Monk too. Hopefully, the little beastie had found a girl friend in the forest and Gil was a forgotten memory.

Gil had told Jim about Monk and Jim had been amused by it all. Every time they got together for drinks now, Jim insisted on toasting the Monk. This time was no different. "To the Monk," Jim offered, "Gil's jungle alter ego…"

Gil chuckled. He supposed that in some ways Jim was right, the Monk had played a role in his forest adventure; he's been an honest friend when Gil had needed one, reflecting his emotions back at him and forcing him to face the reality of his limitations.

Hank had gotten away from him and found a girlfriend too. A few weeks later, the little bitch's owner showed up angry. Seems Hank had scored and the lady in question was pregnant. Gil offered to split the vet bills and requested one of the pups in return. An agreement was reached and the following week, Hank made a visit to the vet himself. Gil apologized but told his pal that he couldn't keep paying for Hank's misdeeds. Hank came home a changed man…ah, dog.

Gil wrote to Sara, informing her that she would soon be a grandmother. He offered to pay for a plane ticket for her to come visit the grandchildren after they were born. He also said that they were keeping one. Her reply came in an e-mail. "RE: Hank's mistake.

I had nothing to do with it. As for returning to see his offspring…HAHA." Gil didn't know how to take that one.

Catherine and Jim thought it was tremendously funny. "I'm going to be an uncle!" Jim had exclaimed. Then he'd looked at Hank. "Sorry about your changed status, buddy. But that's what happens to a guy who messes around with the wrong bitch, looses his balls every time."

Catherine had laughed so hard, she'd turned red. "Yeah, just remember that yourself, Uncle Jim." Jim had flushed, his face turning pink and his ears as red as Gil had ever seen them. And suddenly he realized why.

"Ah, is there something you two aren't telling me?" They both looked like deer caught in the headlights. And then Catherine looked at Jim and smiled. "Jim and I…we are …well…'

"Together," Jim finished for her. "It started while you were down south and we've just kind of taken things slow. Neither of us wants to get burned again. But, lately…" he smiled at Catherine. "…lately, things have been moving a little faster. I'm not gettin' any younger and Beautiful here could have her choice of men, so I decided I'd better jump in all the way before I lose her." The way Catherine was looking at Jim told Gil that there was no danger of anyone else getting his foot in the door. Catherine was all in too.

It made him miss Sara even more.

Two days later, Gil was on a flight to Costa Rica. His knees nearly killed him as he trudged back down the path. They had moved the camp eve further in, so he could barely stand up by the time he found them. Sara was stunned and happy to see him. He took her hand and led her back up the path a few yards. He'd seen some downed tress and there was a spot they could sit and talk. "I'm tired of waiting for us to have a life, Honey. I'm getting older and you seem to be getting younger. I want you to have your time, but I want our time too. Come back with me. Let's get married with our friends all around us and then you can help me pack and we'll go where ever you want to, just not the wilderness, please. I love you, Sara and I'm tired of being apart."

She smiled…and then she cried. And then she stopped crying. "I'm tired too. When you left…I realized how you must have felt when I left you, how much I hurt you. I'm sorry Gil. But I'm happier than I've ever been here, doing this research. And I'm not ready to give it up. Stay with me here….please."

Gil leaned back, putting distance between them. "I can't, Sara. I want to, but physically I can't. And I can't keep living like this either. Hell, even Hank has a girlfriend to keep him company. I'm tired of being alone. I gave up my career to be with you and put my life on hold to wait for you. But I can't live here in this climate. I'm sorry. I suppose that physically what you are asking of me is as painful as what I asked of you emotionally."

Sara just stared at him, tears in her eyes.

"So, I guess this is it. One of us has to choose. You don't want to leave here and I can't stay. Seems the choice is clear. I guess we really are over. I'll always love you Sara but I have to make a life for me. I don't have that many years left to keep waiting and…this really is your time to shine. Just don't make my mistake and burn out."

"So you're leaving?"

He looked into her sad brown eyes and nodded. "Yeah, I'm leaving. I'm going back to Vegas and build a life there with our friends. And maybe I'll find someone, I don't know. But at least I won't just be waiting anymore, I'll be doing something."

Tears rolled down her face and her lip stuck out slightly. But he saw no sign of her changing her mind. "I'll always love you, Gil…"

He smiled. "And I'll always carry you in my heart. I suppose we just could never get the timing right…that I couldn't. As much as we both wanted it, it just wasn't meant to last. Live well, Sara."

They hugged and then he turned and headed back up the trail, afraid to look back. His knees were killing him and his heart was breaking. But he knew he had to do it. If he didn't leave now, they'd be trapped in another impossible situation. And he was tired of the impossible.

Back in Vegas, he continued his book. Towards the end of the semester, he accepted Henry's offer of a chair in the Biology Department. He'd be teaching again…teaching entomology. His life was full…and empty at the same time. But he was finding happiness in unexpected places.

More months passes. He was at breakfast with Jim and Catherine. They'd become official the week before, Mr. and Mrs. Jim Brass. Catherine had never looked more beautiful and Jim had never been as happy. Gil was happy for them.

They were just finishing the meal when Jim's phone rang. "Brass," he said into the mouthpiece. After listening, he replied to the caller. "Yeah, thanks. Hey, we're over at the diner, finishing up breakfast. Why don't you join us for a cup of coffee?" Jim snapped his phone shut and grinned. "Final details on a case," he said apologetically.

"Sounds like you're about to have company…" Gil said. "Maybe I should go…"

"No…no…stick around," Jim told him.

Gil settled back into his booth. "Okay," he said cautiously. He thought Jim was acting suspicious.

A few minutes later, a familiar form walked in and joined them. "Glad you could join us," Jim told her. "I don't think Gil even knew you were back."

Gil was watching her with luster in his eyes that Catherine hadn't seen in months. "Yeah, Sofia, glad you could come. We were just catching up with Gil…"

Sofia looked at Gil and smiled. "It's good to see you again, Gil."

"You're back," he said happily.

"Yeah, I missed everybody. And after Vegas, Boulder was just boring."

They all chuckled. Gil noticed Catherine nudging Jim in the ribs. He nodded and then suddenly looked at his watch. "Oh man, I' sorry but we have to get moving…we ah, have to…"

"…Pick up Lindsey," Catherine finished.

Gil knew it was a lie but he was grateful. He wanted to catch up with Sofia Curtis. There had been some chemistry there once. Maybe…

They watched the happy couple leave and then turned to one another, both feeling a little awkward. She smiled at him. "So…Boulder?" He asked.

"Yeah," she answered.

And they began talking. They talked over two cups of coffee. Then they took a walk in a nearby park. Then they had lunch…and later dinner. He dropped her back at her car but didn't want her to leave. "I really enjoyed the day," he told her.

"Me too," she smiled. "I uh…hope we can do it again…"

"Tomorrow night…dinner?"

"Sounds wonderful," she replied.

More months passed. Gil's life felt more and more full…less and less empty. Sofia was slowly filling the hole that had been left by Sara. She proofread his book, looked over his class notes, sometimes sat in the back of his lecture room making faces at him, and laughed with him. He consoled her when cases were bad, understanding what a bad day in her job meant. And she celebrated with him his accomplishments. He'd never had that before, someone who celebrated with him like that.

He brought up their age difference. She blew him off. And finally, he revealed his fear that things would end up between them as it had with Sara; her youth and vitality overwhelming his aging body. "Is that all?" she asked. "Because I don't think that's going to be a problem. Sure, you're a few years older than I am. And I understand that means a bit of a mismatch…physically, I mean. But I'd rather concentrate on what we can have. I've always felt drawn to you, Gil. I've always thought there was chemistry between us. I don't need someone to go play in the jungle with me; I need someone who understands, someone who will hold me after a rough day and make me feel alive again, someone who will keep mentally sharp. Someone like you…"

By the end of the year, she had moved in with him; he was no longer alone. His book was a huge success. The publisher wanted him to go on a tour, but he didn't want to leave Sofia. Once she realized why he kept putting the publisher off, she put an end to it. "I've got plenty of time built up," she told him. "I'll go with…"

"But…your career…"

"My career will be fine, Gil. But even if it suffers, then okay. It'll never be about my career. It'll always be about making 'us' work. This book has been a good thing for you and you need to finish the exercise. Besides, it might be fun…"

"But it isn't fair to you…to expect you to sacrifice…"

"What Gil? My job? There are other jobs out there. There's only one you."

It was then that Gil made his decision. Yes, he was better at making big decisions now. He wanted 'us' to work too and he told her that. And then he didn't suggest it, he insisted…"we're getting married before the tour," he told her.

"Married?" she asked, surprised.

Wearing his most vulnerable expression, he nodded. "Life is more fun with someone to share it and I want that someone to be you."

"You sure?"

His kiss revealed the power of his emotions. His arms around her were firm and the tone of his voice as he answered was definitive. "Yes, I'm sure. I love you and I won't ever go anywhere without you."

They were married a few weeks later. All of their friends were there to celebrate with them. Jim and Catherine stood up with them as Matron of Honor and Best Man and later helped them escape the reception. The following day they headed out for the book tour.

As they travelled from city to city, Sofia was always at his side. Gil couldn't remember ever being happier. He had a new career…or careers actually and a beautiful wife who was willing to put up with his idiosyncrasies. Everyday was a new adventure for him. The cloud that had hung over him for so many years was gone. Sofia insisted that he eat better and he lost weight, which took some of the pressure off his knees and greatly reduced the physical pain in his life. His blood pressure and cholesterol improved and by the time they returned to Vegas, he looked and felt years younger.

They settled into a bit of a routine, with Gil's newfound celebrity intruding occasionally to keep things interesting. Catherine began to call him for advice on some cases. That led to Gil becoming a special consultant to the department. He enjoyed the role, not having to deal with the DB's and emotional anguish anymore but simply reviewing the facts and consulting on how to proceed; especially on cases that involved insects. His favorite consultations were when he got to work with his old team.

Jim smugly reminded them frequently that he'd put the two of them together again and that with Catherine's help, had encouraged the romance and consequently Gil's happiness. Laughing, Gil always agreed, his blue eyes twinkling.

And at night, when he laid with Sofia in his arms, he would think about his new life. He would think about how much Sofia had brought to his life, the fun of writing mystery novels, and of his role as teacher. He thought of his friends, the ones from his old life and the new ones he was making and he felt happy…complete. And even more than all of that, he felt peace.

IWANTMYGRISSOMBACKWHAWHAWHA

So, I'm sure you are wondering where that came from. So am I actually. But please, leave a comment or review. This isn't one of my best but I did feel a certain perverse pleasure in writing it. So use the little button and tell me what you think.


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